Button-hole attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.) H. C. HARTLEY 85 J L' RQDGERS.

BUTTON EDLE ATTACHMENT EOE SEWING MACHINES. No. 279,563. n Patented June 19,1883.

N. prisas, Phnxmmnegnphu, wmsngum. n. c.

UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE..

HENRY O. HARTLEY AND 'JAMES L. RODGERS, OF SPRTNGFIELD, OHIO.

BUTTON-HOLE AATTACHMENT FOR SEWlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,563, dated June 19, 1883,

Application filed July Iii, 1852.

To all Mdm/11, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY (i. HARTLEY and JAMEs L. RoDGERs, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented Improvements in Button-Hole Attachments for SewingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

rIhe subject of our invention is an attachment, to be operated by theneedle-bar of a' sewing-machine, for the purpose of automatically feeding the goods and shifting it from side to side beneath the needle, as required in the work of sewing button-holes and similar work. y

Our invention particularly consists in means for oscillating and feeding the clotlrclamp, for shifting the feeding mechanism, so as to reverse the feed of the clamp and for varying the 'rapidity of feed or length of stitch; and in order that our invention may be more fully understood, we will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichi- A Figure 1 is a'perspective view of our improved button-hole attachment. 2 is a top view with the operating-lever removed. Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the attachment, showing a modification of the feed-pawlsand their accessories. Figs. 4to 6 are details in plan and section of the. link and mechanism employed for changing the width of stitch. 7 is a detail view of the two-part rock'- arm.

1 is the base or bed plate of the attachment. To th'e bottom of the bed-plate is attached by screws, as at 2, a slide (a portion of which is shown projecting at 3) of suitable size and shape to enter the guides above the shuttlerace of a sewing-machine. The bed-plate 1 is pierced at 4, at one end, to allow of the free passage of the needle. At the other end the bed-plate is provided with vertical flanges 5 5, in the upper ends of which is pivoted the operating crank-lever G. The horizontal arm of this lever is made in two parts, as shown at 7, one of thev parts being slotted so that the arm may be adjusted as to length, or that the two parts may be set at any desired angleby means 5o of a set-screw.

lati-ng lever projects downward between the The vertical arm of the oscil- (Nninodel.)

flanges 5 5, and is divided into three fingers or prongs, 8 9 S-two, S 8, bent forward (toward the needle-bar) and the middle one, 9, bent in an opposite direction. A plate, 10, having slots l1 and screws 12 to holdit on base-plate 1 and allow it transverselateral motion there on, carries the plate 13, which is pivoted to the sliding plate 10 by means of pivot-bolt 14. The saidpivot-bolt also passes through a longitudinal slot, 15, in the clotlrclamp 16, which is held closely to the plate 153 by the said bolt and a washer, 17. The cloth-clamp is milled or provided with ratchetteeth along each edge for a length somewhat greater than that ofthe slot 15, for the engagement therewith of one or other (according to the direction of feed) of the pawls 18, Jivoted to the plate 13. Springs 19, fastened to pawls 18 at one end and at the other to or between lugs 20, projecting from the base-plate 1 through slots 21 in the sliding plate 10, serve to hold the pawls with gentle pressure against the milled edges ofthe cloth-clamp, or to retract them therefrom when required. This action is effected by means of a handle, 22, provided with 'a pin, 23, cecentrically pivoted in the base-plate and passing through a slot or bearing in the sliding plate 10. lt will be seen that this arrangement is such that byturning the handle 22 the sliding plate and all the parts carried thereby will be shifted to one side or other of the bed-plate. The plate 1.3 is slotted, as shown at 2l, to allow of its being adjusted back or forth on set-screw 25, so as to increase or shorten the stitch.

One end of the cloth-clamp is provided with a large slot surrounding thenecdle-hole to allow free passage of the needle in any position of the cloth-.clamp. At its other end the cloth clamp is provided with a slot, 26, longer and broader than the slot 15.

If desired, the pawl-plate 13 may be disl pensed with, in which case the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 may be employed. ln this lcase the pawls are or may be provided with engaging-points at both ends, and are pivoted IOO into engagement, and the direction of feed I washe'rSJc is shifted inthe slot 33 ofthelink thus changed. Vith the modification the clamp is te'd at every stroke, instead of at alternate strokes, and one pawl always catches while the other is getting a new hold. A further modification may be made by providing only a single pawl with both ends pointed, as shown, and omitting the other pawl and its aecessories.

Pivoted at 27 to the bed-plate l, a link, 28, the forward end of which carries two pins, 2Q 30, the pin 29` carrying a V-shaped oscillating switch, 3l, whose ends abut against the pin 30 on one side and the other alternately to limit the motion of the switch. rPhe switch 3]. .rests and oscillates upon the top ofthe clamp-plate, and is alternately driven to one side or the other by the impact ot' theiinger 9 of the cranklever with its two inclined sides alternately. The fingers S Soi" the lever striking one or the other oi' the ends ot' the switch as the arm 6 descends forces the switch over so as to insure the engagement of the Vfingerl with the faces ol' the switch alternately. fe l'orm a slot,33 in the link 2S and place therein a sliding pin, 32, and washer 34, which can be soelamped to any position by the pin and V-shaped nut shown in Figs. and (i within the said slot as by impinging on the sides of the slot 2G to regulate the amplitude of vibration of the cloth-clamp. rlhe washer 3J. may be made of a diameter equal to the breadth of' the slot 26 in the cloth-clamp and be employed to transfer motion from the link 2S tothe cloth-clamp. The slot 26 is ot' such. breadth asthat the pins 29 and 30 will not strike or come in contact with the sidesV oli' the slot.

Mode of operation: A piece of goods having been placed between the broad end ofthe clothclamp and the bed-plate, and the clamp set at one end of its stroke, and the slide so placed as to bring one pawl to bear on the edge ol' the clamp-plate, the machine is started. Each upward motion ofthe lever rocking with the needle-bar will, by means ol its prongs 8 9,

' bearing alternately on opposite faces ot' the V- shaped switch, l'orce it lirst to one side and then the other, and carry with it the link 28 and cloth-clamp 1G. The pivot-bolt 14 being screwed down so as to bear on the clamp with a light pressure, sufficient to hold it from slipping, the clamp and cloth will be shifted from side to side, the clamp oscillating .on the bolt 14, and being fed i'orward with every alternate stroke of the needle-'bar inl such a manner as to make the ordinary button-hole stitch. On reaching the end oil the button-hole the handle 22 is turned, shifting the plate and clothclamp, and bringing the opposite pawl to bear against the cloth-clamp, so as to pnt the attachment in readiness for a reverse feed on the opposite side of the button-hole. To lengthen or shorten the stitch the plate 1 3 is shifted on the set-screw 25, while to increase or lessen the side stroke ot' the cloth-clamp, the pin orv Having thus described our invention, the following is what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a button-hole attachment, the combination ot' a lever operated by the needle-bar and having lfingers or prongs projecting downward therefrom, the V-shaped switch pivoted on. a moving base, and the oscillating and sliding cloth-clamp for holding and shifting the goods, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth. 1

2. In combination with the cloth-clamp having milled or ratcheted edges and means for oscillating and feeding the said cloth-clamp, the pawl or pawls adapted to be held against the same by suitable springs, and means i'or shifting the pawls so as to bring oneior other into action, substantially ,as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The operating crank-lever having a twopart horizontal arm with lon/gi/tndinal slot and set-screw l'or enabling adjustment both as to length and angle, substantially as set forth.

4.. The combination ot' a bed-plate, a guideplate held by screw and slot thereto, a clothclamp pi voted to the guide-plate by a suitable bolt, and means for shifting said plate transverse] y on the bed-plate to change the line ot' stitch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination ot' a fixed bed-plate, a guide plate arranged to slide transversely thereon, a pawl-plate and pawls pivoted thereto, a ratcheted or milled cloth-clamp, and a pivot-bolt on which the cloth-clamp slides and oseillates, all arranged substantially in the manner described, to enable the simultaneous shifting of' the line ot' stitch and the direction of feed.

t5. ln combination with a sliding and oseillating ratcheted or milled cloth-clamp, the pivoted pawl plate, pawls pivoted to sai d plate, and means, substantially as described, for shitting the position ofthe plate to change the length ot' stitch.

IOO

IIO

7.' The combination of an oscillatingelothn ci amp, aslottedlink pivoted beneath the same, and a sliding pin or washer in said slot, all arranged substantially as sh own and described, and for the purpose set t'orth.

S. lnalnitton-holing attachment, the combition, with acloth-elamp having slot 26, of link 28, pin 29,washer 32, and suitable mechanism t'or actuatingthe link, as described.

9. In abntton-holing attachment, the oscillating link 28, having slot 3S, and adjnstablepin or washer'SJf, Iin combination with a clothclamp and actuating mechanism, substantially as set'i'orth.

` HENRY (l. HARTLEY.

JAMES L. RODGERS. Vitnesses RoBT. C. RoDcERs,

EMMA XV. RoDGERs. 

